A Korean Ghost Story

Date: 1/28/2021

I didn’t mean for this to be so long, but I had a dream that I was a Korean woman named GiGi. (I’m black and that’s definitely not my name). I had four other friends all who were guys, and I loved them. They had my whole heart. They were my brothers. (Can’t really remember any of their names) I ended up dying on a backpacking mountain trip from home. I feel like I was climbing Mount Everest except I was driving so it couldn’t have been that mountain exactly. Anyway, I know my car ended up getting stuck, and I froze to death. Then all of a sudden I was standing in a very familiar white hallway. My instinct told me that it was CJ’s (we’ll call the ‘eldest responsible brother’ CJ) apartment. On the outside, I could hear what sounded like a heated discussion, but when I came through the door it was Joey (the ‘younger sensitive brother’) apologizing to CJ. He sat on the couch while CJ stood some way in front of him. As I got closer, I could hear that he was apologizing about what happened to me. “I should’ve gone with her,” Joey was saying, “I wouldn’t have let her go out in that weather. Or at least she wouldn’t have been alone.” I felt guilty. I took a spot at the far corner of the couch, legs up to my chest, and listened. CJ reassured him that everything was okay. I don’t remember him knocking, but Joon (the ‘relaxed brother’) arrived. He looked even guiltier than I felt. He trudged in. Sitting in a chair by the couch. The conversation continued on about my death, but it was a lot calmer now I noticed. Or at least less animated. I could feel the weight that my absence had done to the group, and I felt helpless to relieve them of that guilt. They began to talk about Chris (the ‘rebellious brother’). Whether or not he would come. No one’s heard from him since the news of my death dropped. We were worried he would shut the group out. I could tell I worried about Chris the most. While I felt close to all of them, Chris seemed like the one that I talked to the most. I hadn’t realize that the boys had stopped talking until I noticed them all looking in my direction. “Do you see it?” Joon was saying, “The dip in the couch cushion?” I grew nervous. I wasn’t really sure what to do or if this kind of thing was possible. Was I that heavy they could see the print of a ghost? “Are those feet prints?” Joey asked, but no one answered. A couple seconds passed, and I could feel myself unveiling. A gasp. “Hi.” I said sheepishly, afraid that they would freak out. “GiGi?” (This is how I knew that my name was GiGi) “Surprise?” I said. I was smiling, but I was heartbroken because I knew I couldn’t really stay and be with my friends. Between the amazement and possible fear I could tell they were each thinking of one thing: that Chris should’ve been there too. Then of course the door opened, and Chris walked in. He looked horrible, and it hurt to see him so distraught. “Before you say anything,” he began “I’m sorry I haven’t been around.” No one said anything. We just looked at him. Then his eyes landed on mine. “GiGi?” He dropped his bag he was carrying and came closer. “You’re alive?” He reached out to touch my face, but stopped. I shook my head no. “No, I’m not.” I started to cry harder. “I’m so sorry. I left, and I’m so sorry.” I kept saying. My brothers each tried to console me in their unique ways, and I couldn’t help but smile. These four men consoling a ghost. I ended up waking up a little after that moment, and it was strange that I remember such a vivid dream not even about myself. Don’t know what it means.